Avocados: Love them but can't seem to select them.

[connda]

Boy, select good avocados is a skill set I total suck at.  I generally am able to pick the ones that are hard as a rock when you cut them open, or conversely, they are brown on the inside and are turning mushy.  

 

With that said, anyone have tips for selecting avocados?  At their price, I'd rather be selecting good ones the majority of the time.

 

Also, any suggestion where to buy them for the best value?

[pgrahmm]

Any Holy Guacamole mix in CM ?

 

Can't tell by pictures if they have Haas Avos here.....Once you have them all the others are a distant 2nd.....Holy Guacamole does help this a lot though....

[bkk6060]

We bought some at the Mae Rim night market on Friday.  60 b for one kg.  Just touch them until you find a few soft ones.  If not, put them in a paper bag when you get home they will ripen sooner.  They are definitely not Haas but some local model.  Not bad tasting, but not as good as Haas.

Made some Guac it turned out pretty good.

Edited June 25, 2017 by bkk6060

[Bill97]

Choosing ripe is easy, choosing with good texture and taste is the crap shoot.

[evenstevens]

with different climate conditions etc etc to Sydney , where putting your avocadoes bought in a brown paper bag, in a dry dark  spot such as a cupboard,they would ripen within days ,  overhere the avocadoes are full green,and are not stored correctly from  harvesting time,,they are just literally  tumbled in  the hundreds and sold accordingly,where Sydney avocadoes are tray packed accordingly to size,when harvested,and when sold  the are  usually at least 1/4 colour, to 3/4 colour,therefore only need a day or two to be full colour,,and at the green grocer, full colour ones are available but in short supply due to everyone wanting them to be eaten immediately, just a light touch or squeeze on the bum and if  it gives way,you know thats ripen to at least 1/2 colour,but my experiences here in  C.mai are vastly   different to Sydney ,they are usually very poor quality, in taste etc etc largely due to poor techniques in growing and harvesting plus  the ripening process here , there is none which  E/S  used in Sydney,and thats the key to a good Avocadoe, you can also throw a bannana  or  apple skin in the brown  paper bag with the avocadoe, but just a normal ripening process gets the best results in Sydney,C/Mai is a lottery, in fact E/S got beaten up so many time s in buying dud avocadoes, i have given up ,

its a  very nice evening to all

[amexpat]

Thanks E/S.  Next time AE is in Sydney I,  I mean he, will.............

[swissie]

I thought that: "Love them, can't seem to select them" applies to Thai Ladies. Now I learn that this extends to Avocados!
Good heavens, what's next?
Cheers.

[dcnx]

I've wasted so many avacados here. :-(  They are either not ready or brown inside.

[junglechef]

I rather like the local avos, perhaps partially due to getting use to what's here though I can't with the local beef steaks (btw id there really any other kind of steak?!?). 

 

I make my guac with good oilive oil and that often makes up for the difference, use to do 1/2 and 1/2 with imported but find the now the quality is better and it's not necessary.

 

Avacados are a new industry here, consider the local peaches, inedible just a few years ago and now if you get lucky they are pretty good. 

[malt25]

Just my 2 cents worth. When I lived in Chiang Mai use to drive up into the hinterland & buy the best avos at road side stalls. Very reasonably priced & always top quality.

Since moving here, Isaan, I've bought several at Tops & Tesco. Absolute rubbish at a ridiculous price.

[Nick ZepTepi]

The area around the stem is the best indicator.
That been said I still get a few duff ones.
I ask my regular vendor at the market for eat today - eat in 2/3 days. They often have a eat today tray and can pick out some close to ripe for you.
Learn from their expertise.

Sent from my Redmi Note 2 using Tapatalk

[F4UCorsair]

I find that a gentle squeeze near the stem point is a good indicator, just a little soft, and they're ready.

Having said that, if picked too green, that softness can be there,  bit they never ripen.

 

[Laza 45]

Some good advice here.. Hass is best  Fuerte is also good.. the smooth skinned pear shaped ones.. the big round ones here lack taste and buttery texture.. but I think the big problem is how they are handled.. someones said that they are dumped in a box.. probably true.. small bruises spoil them as they ripen.. I've had some reasonably nice ones but they sell them 3 to a bag and it is definitely a mixed bag.. lol.. the imported Kiwi ones are expensive but fewer disappointments, I think..

[Ponlamai]

Avocados are a difficult cop to identify as being ready to harvest. Pro growers even need to pick a few and wait for a week or so to determine if the cop is mature enough to harvest. The Thai varieties are mostly seedlings so can have a wide variety of taste and texture. An experienced growers myself, even I paid 60 the each for 2 underipe inedible rubbery specimens.

 

[Grumpy Duck]

Being from California I love good avacados, only Haas not the green smooth skinned. I have had good luck at Foodland markets. I buy my avacados soft with no green in the skin. And usually have good luck. 

Last weekend we went to a temple near the ocean. I found some huge fantastic avacados, I was concerned they may be over ripe. But as I already said they were great. 

[Laza 45]

8 minutes ago, Grumpy Duck said:

Being from California I love good avacados, only Haas not the green smooth skinned. I have had good luck at Foodland markets. I buy my avacados soft with no green in the skin. And usually have good luck. 

Last weekend we went to a temple near the ocean. I found some huge fantastic avacados, I was concerned they may be over ripe. But as I already said they were great. 

You are right Hass has a pebbly skin... Fuerte has a smooth skin and pear shaped... bot have a nice buttery texture.. 

[PoorSucker]

2 hours ago, malt25 said:

Just my 2 cents worth. When I lived in Chiang Mai use to drive up into the hinterland & buy the best avos at road side stalls. Very reasonably priced & always top quality.

Since moving here, Isaan, I've bought several at Tops & Tesco. Absolute rubbish at a ridiculous price.

 

My local Makro has avocados from Chiang Mai for 85 baht/kg.

[Sandy Freckle]

Back home in S/W Oz I grow Fuerte, Hass and Reed avo's..., I usually tell if one of these nuts is approaching ripeness by a slight yellowing in the stem adjacent to the top and/or a slight softening of the skin around the stem. That being said, most fresh produce sections of supermarkets back home ask potential buyers to "not cop a free feel". so you'll just need to be subtle with the way you 'cop a feel'.
The majority of the avo's I've checked out so far up this-away are a bit different it seems..., but, sometimes you come across bigger ones that are fine..., and maybe, not 'too far gone'.
The soil up here is generally very good(clay/loam), although, because of it's clay content, the soil does tend to hold onto water for too long - up on the top near where all the fine feeder roots are..., plus 'uptake' can be of both good nutrients and bad chemicals(if there are any present)..., so, avocado's do not like wet feet(for long periods)..., and they are 'gross feeders'(like oranges) and need a 'complete' fertilizer'(meaning all minerals and trace elements) every 2 or 3 months. Because they take up from the soil both the good and bad things inherent within the soil profile, they also can take up negatively impacting chemicals(possibly residual herbicides or insecticides if there is a history of these being used). Avocados really do grow better with free draining soils - of which this area is not so blessed with...., maybe on higher slopes they will grow better. 'Comparatively' it's early days up this way for the growing of quality avocados, but in time, it will certainly be sorted...., possibly by way of hybridisation. I seem to recall the recently passed King setting up a avocado growing project up this way...., he was good like that.
I'd love to have a go at growing avo's up this way...., what can I say..., I'm a recovering hippie.
'Scuse my while I kiss the soil'...,  

Edited June 26, 2017 by Sandy Freckle

[Suradit69]

Put them in a brown paper bag with an apple or banana. 

A Thai friend brought me some rock hard ones a couple of weeks ago. That's what I did and it took a week to ten days before they were soft/ripe enough to use.

 

 

Quote

 

How to Speed up the Ripening Process for Avocados

Avocados do not ripen on the tree; they ripen or "soften" after they have been harvested. To speed up the avocado ripening process we recommend placing unripe avocados in a brown paper bag with an apple or banana for two to three days until they are ripe. We do not recommend any other method of ripening.

 

 

 

https://www.avocadocentral.com/how-to/how-to-ripen-avocados

[Laza 45]

33 minutes ago, Sandy Freckle said:

Back home in S/W Oz I grow Fuerte, Hass and Reed avo's..., I usually tell if one of these nuts is approaching ripeness by a slight yellowing in the stem adjacent to the top and/or a slight softening of the skin around the stem. That being said, most fresh produce sections of supermarkets back home ask potential buyers to "not cop a free feel". so you'll just need to be subtle with the way you 'cop a feel'.
The majority of the avo's I've checked out so far up this-away are a bit different it seems..., but, sometimes you come across bigger ones that are fine..., and maybe, not 'too far gone'.
The soil up here is generally very good(clay/loam), although, because of it's clay content, the soil does tend to hold onto water for too long - up on the top near where all the fine feeder roots are..., plus 'uptake' can be of both good nutrients and bad chemicals(if there are any present)..., so, avocado's do not like wet feet(for long periods)..., and they are 'gross feeders'(like oranges) and need a 'complete' fertilizer'(meaning all minerals and trace elements) every 2 or 3 months. Because they take up from the soil both the good and bad things inherent within the soil profile, they also can take up negatively impacting chemicals(possibly residual herbicides or insecticides if there is a history of these being used). Avocados really do grow better with free draining soils - of which this area is not so blessed with...., maybe on higher slopes they will grow better. 'Comparatively' it's early days up this way for the growing of quality avocados, but in time, it will certainly be sorted...., possibly by way of hybridisation. I seem to recall the recently passed King setting up a avocado growing project up this way...., he was good like that.
I'd love to have a go at growing avo's up this way...., what can I say..., I'm a recovering hippie.
'Scuse my while I kiss the soil'...,  

Thanks for that Sandy.. I put one in and it seems to be doing ok at the moment.. but.. from what you say I don't hold out a lot of hope for it... a sandy soil but mixed with clay and at the moment with all the rain very wet..  I didn't know that they are gross feeders like citrus.. I'll have to go out and pee on it occasionally ..  the limes are doing well .. We are in Kalasin.. maybe too hot for them here.. 

[Sandy Freckle]

1 hour ago, Laza 45 said:

Thanks for that Sandy.. I put one in and it seems to be doing ok at the moment.. but.. from what you say I don't hold out a lot of hope for it... a sandy soil but mixed with clay and at the moment with all the rain very wet..  I didn't know that they are gross feeders like citrus.. I'll have to go out and pee on it occasionally ..  the limes are doing well .. We are in Kalasin.. maybe too hot for them here.. 

If you can somehow add crushed up hardwood charcoal(biochar).., to the topsoil without disturbing the upper roots, that can help the soil both hold onto nutrients(so they aren't leached too quickly downwards by heavy rains) while also activating micro-organisms within the soil(soil needs be alive)..., believe it or not charcoal also helps release existing nutrients in the soil for root uptake.
Worm tea(from a composting worm farm) diluted 1to 10 with water also works wonders. You may probably already know this stuff. Sorry for my layman's explanation.
Also..., unfortunately, often avo's grown from seed can take a few years just to let you know that they either will bear fruit(nuts really) or not. Most 'productive' avo trees are grafted or from modern hybridized cuttings...., or, If you try from seed, it should be from the best seed you can get(best flavour/size etc)..., but seed of anything are not always true to type...., so that's hit and miss. 
Some higher authority may choose to correct me, but I believe it's only from mature plant cutting's that will give you a true clone..., so better to find someone with a good mature 'strongly producing' avo tree and take cuttings from that.  One last thing..., avocado tree's are truly the gift that keeps on giving. If you could only ever grow one tree in your life, the avocado imo is the one to grow. They self store..., in that the fruit(nut) will stay on the tree in a kind of stasis and usually only fully ripens after separation from tree. Best to leave a little bit of the stem attached to the fruit. Please excuse my long windedness.

Edited June 26, 2017 by Sandy Freckle

[Sandy Freckle]

Is there a nursery(specialising in fruit n nut) around CM, that might sell young avocado..., and other cropping trees ?

Edited June 26, 2017 by Sandy Freckle

[Laza 45]

1 hour ago, Sandy Freckle said:

If you can somehow add crushed up hardwood charcoal(biochar).., to the topsoil without disturbing the upper roots, that can help the soil both hold onto nutrients(so they aren't leached too quickly downwards by heavy rains) while also activating micro-organisms within the soil(soil needs be alive)..., believe it or not charcoal also helps release existing nutrients in the soil for root uptake.
Worm tea(from a composting worm farm) diluted 1to 10 with water also works wonders. You may probably already know this stuff. Sorry for my layman's explanation.
Also..., unfortunately, often avo's grown from seed can take a few years just to let you know that they either will bear fruit(nuts really) or not. Most 'productive' avo trees are grafted or from modern hybridized cuttings...., or, If you try from seed, it should be from the best seed you can get(best flavour/size etc)..., but seed of anything are not always true to type...., so that's hit and miss. 
Some higher authority may choose to correct me, but I believe it's only from mature plant cutting's that will give you a true clone..., so better to find someone with a good mature 'strongly producing' avo tree and take cuttings from that.  One last thing..., avocado tree's are truly the gift that keeps on giving. If you could only ever grow one tree in your life, the avocado imo is the one to grow. They self store..., in that the fruit(nut) will stay on the tree in a kind of stasis and usually only fully ripens after separation from tree. Best to leave a little bit of the stem attached to the fruit. Please excuse my long windedness.

Thanks for all that.. the one I have I got at a market from a stall that had really good looking plants.. I don't know how it was propagated.. not a graft.. but possibly a cutting...  I've tried to grow from seed but haven't had any luck.. a surprise as I found them to germinate quite readily in OZ.. someone suggested that maybe they are irradiated before export.. You are right that they keep on giving.. the place I stay when in OZ (Adelaide hills).. has two giant trees on Hass one Fuerte.. there always seems to fruit (nuts!) on one of them  ... I'll try the charcoal.. I don't have a worm farm..  I appreciate you information.. Cheers..

[bkk6060]

Has anyone every been to a Mexican restaurant in CM or for that matter anywhere in Thailand that has fresh Guacamole?  Many have it on the menu but I have never found it available always get the ¨not have¨.  

[captainhornblower]

Learnt this trick a few years ago but not sure if it works on Thai Avocados.

 

http://www.thekitchn.com/use-this-simple-trick-to-determine-whether-an-avocado-is-ripe-inside-tips-from-the-kitchn-172933

 

Try and see - nothing to lose.

[bangkokairportlink]

Just don't buy thai avocados and you will be fine.

 

Never got a bad one from australia or new zealand.

 

 

[DumbFalang]

20 hours ago, Sandy Freckle said:

Is there a nursery(specialising in fruit n nut) around CM, that might sell young avocado..., and other cropping trees ?

We have plenty of Avocado trees at various stages of growth but any that are cropping are already in the ground. You normally have to buy a grafted tree, put it in the ground and wait 2 or 3 years for it to produce fruit. I have 40+ waiting to be grafted so if you can wait a couple of months I could put your name on one of those.

 

The wife sells Avocado fruit and ships them via Kerry Express in minimum 3kg packages all over Thailand. She delivers to regular Customers in CM so if anyone is interested, PM me and I'll put you in touch with her.

 

We have Raspberries, Mulberries and Lemon trees that all have fruit on them. You are welcome to pop up to the wife's farm in Samoeng or I'd be happy to drop off a few free small Mulberry trees for you (or anyone else) somewhere near to Canal road or Nim Man.

[Sandy Freckle]

21 minutes ago, DumbFalang said:

We have plenty of Avocado trees at various stages of growth but any that are cropping are already in the ground. You normally have to buy a grafted tree, put it in the ground and wait 2 or 3 years for it to produce fruit. I have 40+ waiting to be grafted so if you can wait a couple of months I could put your name on one of those.

 

The wife sells Avocado fruit and ships them via Kerry Express in minimum 3kg packages all over Thailand. She delivers to regular Customers in CM so if anyone is interested, PM me and I'll put you in touch with her.

 

We have Raspberries, Mulberries and Lemon trees that all have fruit on them. You are welcome to pop up to the wife's farm in Samoeng or I'd be happy to drop off a few free small Mulberry trees for you (or anyone else) somewhere near to Canal road or Nim Man.

Wow that's pretty impressive..., if I lived up here, and indeed, had some land to cultivate I'd be seriously interested in some kind of hybridised or cloned, cropping fruit trees. I think organic food production is one way forward in the future.
But that's not the case..., I live in S/W WA where we have a crossover temperate climate - it's also possible to grow both cool climate and many tropical plants(can't grow mangoes though). As it is I take delivery of another 600 mixed(Hass&Fuerte) grafted tube stock(ex Queensland commercial nursery) when I return home in a week...., so busy busy.
In my shaded kitchen garden, I grow many hybrid berries which now crop from Nov - April. 
I was looking into some land up here that I could be involved with but without a more precise title deed I'll stay put in Australia.

Edited June 27, 2017 by Sandy Freckle

[DumbFalang]

4 minutes ago, Sandy Freckle said:

Wow that's pretty cool..., if I lived up here, and indeed had some land to cultivate I'd be straight over there.
But that's not the case..., I live in S/W WA where we have a crossover temperate climate - it's also possible to grow both cool climate and many tropical plants(can't grow mangoes though). As it is I take delivery of another 600 mixed(Hass&Fuerte) grafted tube stock(ex Queensland commercial nursery) when I return home in a week...., so busy busy.
In my shaded kitchen garden, I grow many hybrid berries which now crop from Nov - April. 
I was looking into some land up here that I could be involved with but without a more precise title deed I'll stay put in Australia.

Ah sorry - I thought you lived in Chiang Mai. Sounds like you have plenty to keep you busy with 600 trees in Oz.

 

While I have your attention, can I ask you to PM me with some advice on how you actually apply fertilizer around the tree? The canopy of some trees are so big that I get the feeling I'd be wasting my time (and money) putting fertilizer into the ground.

[Ponlamai]

On 06/26/2017 at 11:06 AM, Ponlamai said:

Avocados are a difficult cop to identify as being ready to harvest. Pro growers even need to pick a few and wait for a week or so to determine if the cop is mature enough to harvest. The Thai varieties are mostly seedlings so can have a wide variety of taste and texture. An experienced growers myself, even I paid 60 the each for 2 underipe inedible rubbery specimens.

 

Update on this. I just got to eat the first of the 2 Samui seedling avocados after a week of waiting for them to deliver ripeness. They must have been fresh off the tree when I purchased them. Lovely, but not easy to find here and cost 200 /kg